Wednesday, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel made it official that he would enter the 2014 NFL Draft. After two incredible years with the Aggies, Manziel thought it would be in his best interest to turn pro. The big question now is where Manziel will go in the first round.

Manziel is said by many to be a top-5 pick, yet there are others who think he isn’t quite there yet and may fall into the middle or late first round. Though having an unbelievable skill set, one of the biggest reasons surrounding any doubt about his NFL future is the past that Manziel has had off the field.

He has had his fair share of negativity coming off the field, mostly just due to him being a college kid — to put it frankly. Manziel was seen at parties quite often, doing things that college kids do, but much of the public frowned upon those actions because they thought he should have been held to a higher standard than just a normal college guy.

Well, if Manziel is to find success in the NFL, he will have to mature both on and off the field. We have seen his antics on the field at times, and he has had a tendency to be a bit showy every once and a while. But, Wednesday, Manziel took a step in the right direction as far as his professional future is concerned.

Manziel wrote a letter to the Texas A&M community, thanking them for their support.

To All My Friends in Aggieland,

After long discussions with my family, friends, teammates, and coaches, I have decided to make myself available for the 2014 NFL Draft. The decision was not an easy one. Anyone one who has ever watched a football game at Kyle Field knows that leaving that atmosphere, those Saturdays with excitement, color, and noise, will be hard for me. I cannot begin to tell you what the support of the school, my teammates, Coach Sumlin, Chancellor Sharp and the fans has meant to me over the last two years. The Heisman Trophy belongs as much to you as it does to me. My teammates and I never doubted the value or the deep and real spirit of The 12th Man. It is not a myth. Anyone one has ever played football for Texas A&M knows that passion is real.

I promise you I will always be an Aggie. I will always try to make you as proud of me in the NFL as I did at Texas A&M. While there are many wonderful memories I will take with me – big wins, surprising upsets, and Bowl victories – I most cherish standing arm in arm with my teammates during the postgame, singing the alma mater, or jumping into the stands to feel real Aggie spirit. I regret we weren’t able to bring a National Championship to College Station, but I assure you a championship is going to come soon with Coach Sumlin and these talented players. And when it does, you can bet I will be with you to cheer and celebrate. I’ll probably be the loudest one there.

Thank you for making my college years very special. The faces, the friends, the fans, and the experience will forever be an important part of my life. Gig ’em Aggies! I’ll always love you guys.

Sincerely,

Johnny Manziel

This letter full of sincere, kind-hearted words is Manziel’s first step to becoming a mature professional quarterback. The fact that he vows to always remember his roots and gives credit to those surrounding him for the past two years was a class act. Hopefully, this is the start of a more grown-up version of the future pro and his career will only continue to take off from here on out.

If you’re following Manziel’s journey closely and want to know where he may end up in this year’s draft, you can click here to see the latest on who may be interested in selecting him.

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